Traditional face lifting techniques involve extensive dissection of the different layers of facial tissue and skin. These tissues are then redraped and rearranged in an upward and posterior direction.
This face lift technique inevitably results in long scars and the risk of complications including skin necrosis, nerve damage, vascular damage, hair loss, displacement of the ears and an unnatural attitude of the face. The largest drawback of these surgical techniques is the significant swelling and bruising caused with downtime from recovery lasting between 2 to 6 weeks, in which time patients are unable to work and prefer to avoid social situations.
Various techniques have been developed over the years to minimise the scarring and tissue dissection caused by face lift procedures. One known technique uses a barbed suture where the barbs are oriented in a direction opposite the thread tension. This suture is inserted as a gentle curve under soft tissue conferring a modest lift as well as a bunching up of the soft tissue, which is desirable in the malar or cheek area.
While this technique has eliminated the need for dissecting and lifting facial tissue and eliminated the scarring and consequential complications, it fails to be as effective in lifting heavy facial soft tissues such as that in the forehead and brow, mid face, jowls, lateral face and neck. Heavier tissue in these areas impart a significant pull against the barbs on the surgical thread leading to early slackening and dropping of the facial tissue. Additionally, the “bunching up” effect is not as desirable in the areas of the forehead, jowls, neck and lateral face where tissue is expected to be smooth and taut for a youthful look.
There is thus a need for an improved surgical thread and procedure that is minimally invasive and will effectively suspend tissue.